Under Pressure
by x.Indy.x
Summary: What if Bella never choose Edward or Jacob? What if she knew she was in love with both of them, but she didn’t know how to choose?


What if Bella never choose Edward or Jacob? What if she knew she was in love with both of them, but she didn't know how to choose?

Around the end of New Moon.

It had been two weeks. Bella had left to save Edward from the Volturi, but she confessed to him at their return to Forks that she was not sure if she could forgive him. She had grown very close to Jacob over his absence, and she now faced a choice. Edward or Jacob.

Bella did not want to think about this, yet almost all of her conscious and unconscious thoughts revolved around that one question. Who would she choose? It didn't help having Edward sneaking into her room at night (and hounding her a school) and Jacob trying to monopolize her after school hours. All this had accomplished was to keep Bella in an almost constant pissed off mood. It was this constant hounding that made Bella decide to take a break, well as much of a break as Charlie allowed. Given she was "grounded for life" Charlie didn't think too keenly on the idea of her skipping town for a while. (Mind you he didn't enjoy having two guys chase his daughter around either). So the only way Bella could get away was to lock herself in her room, including adding a new latch to the window. She spent her time reading, watching movies, and trying some new recipes (which Charlie enjoyed immensely). We start the story one month later, a time very near to graduation, and the time when Bella starts to retreat from her seclusion.

Bella was on the thin line between awake and asleep. Her mind had shut down enough to start dreaming, yet she kept conscious track of what occurred in these dreams. Well, Bella couldn't call this a dream. It was more like the visages of Edward and Jacob floating in her mind. They moved in place, but they didn't say anything. They both just looked at Bella, their eyes full of love and friendship. It had been the first time in an entire week either of these faces had even crossed her mind. However, she was enjoying seeing them in her mind as opposed as in person. Mostly because neither of them were talking. Prior to her seclusion Edward and Jacob had taken to the most vile and rude manner towards each other. That is the most probable cause for pushing Bella over the edge.

"Bella!" a holler came up the stair towards Bella, startling her enough to knock her off her bed, where she had been lying. For a moment Bella thought it had been Edward or Jacob, but comfortingly realized it had only been Charlie. She dragged herself into a sitting position and glanced at the clock next to her bed. It was ten till seven. "Oh crap." She muttered. She was supposed to make Charlie dinner. She bounded down the steps, nearly missing one (which would of resulted in her falling down the stairs).

"I'm-so-sorry-Charlie-I-completely-just-like-fell-asleep." Bella gushed out in a rush. Charlie gave a grunt and smiled.

"S'okay Bells. I ordered take out." Charlie said, nodding towards the Chinese containers on the table. Bella smiled at him, thanking him silently. She grabbed her chair and sat down to eat dinner with Charlie.

It was a silent meal, followed by Bella retiring to bed again as soon as she had washed the dishes. Charlie didn't ask why she had been so silent or ask if anything was wrong. He had learned over the past month that all Bella wanted was time to think.

The next morning Bella packed her bag for school and hopped into the truck, expecting this to be like any other Thursday. She knew something was different, though, when she arrived at school and saw the Cullens, minus Edward, huddled in a circle talking rapidly. But that wasn't it. It was the fact that standing on the lower steps, amidst students hurrying past, stood Edward and Jacob, both of their arms folded, staring at her not with love and friendship, as they had been in her dream, but with slight anger and irritation. Bella had not expected this. The pair started walking towards her truck, their expressions not changing. Bella slowly got out of her truck, biting her lower lip in anticipation. She had not a clue what they had to say to her, though she did not expect it to be good.

She leaned against the side of her truck, Edward coming to stand on her left, Jacob on her right. "We need to have a word with you." Edward said darkly. She felt a hot grip around her right wrist as Jacob started to lead her away from the school and towards the nearby forest. Bella glanced back at the group of Cullens, hoping to see one of them rushing forward to help, but all she saw was the smirk of Rosalie and the hopeless shrug of Alice. Bella huffed as she faced forward again, trying to ignore the heated silence between Edward, Jacob, and herself.

When they reached the tree line Bella tried to wring her wrist free from Jacob's grip, but it was no use, he was too strong. "Will you two just stop! I'm sorry I've ignored you the past month, but- but I just n-needed time to think." Bella said, nearly breaking into sobs. This was the exact reason she had avoided them. She couldn't see them both, she couldn't love them both, knowing that if she had to choose one that would mean having to break the other's heart. She couldn't deal with that. She was only human, after all. "I-I.." she faltered, tears pouring down her cheeks now. This was too much. She hardly noticed when Edward gave a short nod to Jacob, who then proceeded to envelope her into a hug. Bella couldn't help but feel comforted. It was, after all, Jacob who had comforted her in her most painful time. There was just something comforting about his warmth and woody scent. Her sobs lessened, and she hiccupped once, cueing Jacob to release her.

"Bella," Edward whispered, "This isn't about us. This is about you. Bella…" Edward, too, faltered.

Jacob picked up where Edward had faltered. "Bella, we think Victoria has found a way around us. She killed Jared last night. We had no idea where she came from, Edward never heard her, and Alice last tracked her making herself a temporary home on the Canada border. Bella, you're in danger until we figure out where Victoria is."

Bella let out a horrified breath. "Ja-Jared? Dead?" It had been different when it was just hikers, or even when it was Harry Clearwater. She hadn't known them like she had known Jared. Even more horrifying was the fact that Victoria might have some new sort of weapon, something that made her even more dangerous.


End file.
